For years the Prince and Princess of Wales have sat comfortably at the top of Britain’s royal popularity table. In YouGov Ratings’ third-quarter results for 2026, that order changed. Princess Anne, 76, came first with 67%, ahead of Catherine at 64% and William at 62%. All three fell below the 70-plus marks they held earlier in the year.
YouGov collects opinion throughout the year and reports quarterly, rather than polling over a few days, so the figures are less of a snapshot than most surveys.
Net approval tells the sharper story
Net approval subtracts those who dislike a royal from those who like them. Anne is liked by 67% and disliked by 7%, a net of plus 60. Catherine stands at plus 56 (64% positive, 8% negative) and William at plus 50 (62% and 12%). That puts Anne four points clear of Catherine and ten ahead of William.
The direction of travel matters more than the gap. Over the first quarter Catherine was at 75% positive and 10% negative, a net of plus 65. William began at 74% and 9%, also plus 65. Anne started at 62% liked and 7% disliked, plus 55, and moved the other way. Newsweek noted that polls fluctuate and that a recovery by the Waleses remains possible.
Anne has long been described as Britain’s hardest-working royal, known for a no-nonsense manner and a dry wit. She is the second of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s four children, and is described as a close confidante and ally of her brother Charles. Newsweek read her result as a sign that affection for royals beyond the direct heirs endures, at a time when King Charles has pursued a slimmer monarchy.
The rest of the table
King Charles III ranked fourth at 53%, up from 47% positive and 26% negative in the first quarter to 53% and 22%. His net rose from plus 21 to plus 31. Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, came fifth at 47%, followed closely by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, at 45%. Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall was seventh, Queen Camilla eighth at 33%, and the Duke of Kent ninth at 30%.
William did win one group outright. He was most popular among millennials, with 60% favouring him. Catherine led among Generation X and among women, while Anne topped the list for men and Baby Boomers.
Prince Harry and Meghan returned to Britain in August after six years in California, and the quarter gave them a modest lift. Harry placed tenth at 29% popularity, with 41% disliking him, a net of minus 12, up from minus 30 in the first quarter. Meghan placed 13th at 22%, with 49% disliking her and a net of minus 27. Her worst quarter was the second, when 61% felt negatively and her net fell to minus 43. Both remain well underwater.
What is at stake
Royals are not elected, so the numbers carry less urgency than for a politician. Still, they gauge how the institution is faring. About a quarter of Britons want a republic, while most approve of the monarchy continuing. Newsweek noted that support has softened since the 1980s, and that some in royal circles hope a younger generation will warm to the family once Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are older.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor did not appear in this year’s rankings at all.
Sources
- Prince William, Kate Middleton no longer top UK royal family approval ratings
- Prince William and Kate lose crown as most popular royals
- Hard-working Princess Anne is crowned the nation's most popular royal
